Merry Christmas in several languages:
Geseënde Kersfees, Een Plesierige Kerfees, Rehus-Beal-Ledeats, Gezur Krislinjden, Milad Majid, Feliz Navidad, Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand, Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun, Selamat Hari Natal, Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!, Shuvo Naba Barsha, Vesele Vanoce, Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina, Feliz Natal, Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat, Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo,Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!, Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun, Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan, Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito, Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo, Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth, Pace e salute, Rot Yikji Dol La Roo, Mitho Makosi Kesikansi, Sretan Bozic, Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok, Glædelig Jul, Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak, Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast, Merry Christmas, Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!, Gajan Kristnaskon, Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi, Melkin Yelidet Beaal, Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!, Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad,
Hyvaa joulua, Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar, Joyeux Noel, Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!, Bo Nada, Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!, Fröhliche Weihnachten, Kala Christouyenna!, Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri’cho o Rish D’Shato Brichto, Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!, Mele Kalikimaka, Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova, Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket, Gledileg Jol, Selamat Hari Natal, Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah, Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat, Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay, Buone Feste Natalizie, Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto, Sung Tan Chuk Ha, souksan van Christmas, Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!, Prieci’gus Ziemsve’tkus un Laimi’gu Jauno Gadu!, Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto, Priecigus Ziemassvetkus, Linksmu Kaledu, Heughliche Winachten un ‘n moi Nijaar, Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch, Sreken Bozhik, IL-Milied It-tajjeb, Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa, Meri Kirihimete,
Merry Keshmish,God Jul, or Gledelig Jul,Pulit nadal e bona annado, Bon Pasco, Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu, En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!, Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo, Maligayang Pasko!, Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie, Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha, Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua, ellas festas da nadal e bun onn, Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!, Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit, Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom, Buorrit Juovllat, La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou, Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou, Nollaig chridheil huibh, Hristos se rodi, Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa, Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok, Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto, God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År, Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon, Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!, Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas, Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun, Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM, Chuc Mung Giang Sinh,
Nadolig Llawen, E ku odun, e ku iye’dun!
Ken and I enlisted Simone and Nadia to help us shop for gifts for each other this year. I went first. The four of us went to the mall, and Ken went to another store so we could shop. I asked Simone and Nadia if they liked some items, we purchased them and then met Ken in the mall. I made sure to tell the girls we should not tell Daddy what we had bought him. It was a surprise. Both nodded and Simone repeated we could not tell because it was a secret. All was well.
While I was at work, Ken took the girls shopping with him for my gifts. When I returned, Simone pointed out the new gifts under the tree and said she could not tell me about them because it was a secret. All was well. Later, the girls and I went grocery shopping. We were in the car and my favorite CD of all time was playing: the soundtrack of Charlie Brown Christmas. We were barely out of the driveway when Simone started talking about my gifts.
“Mommy, I can’t tell you about your gifts because it’s a secret. It’s a secret, and I can’t tell you about Charlie Brown, because Daddy said it’s a secret and I can’t tell you. So, I am not going to tell you.”
All I could do was laugh. I had been disappointed ever since Charlie Brown Christmas was postponed this year because President Barack Obama had to give a speech about Afghanistan. I, like many in America, was outraged. He may be the president, but he should not mess with Charlie Brown. It is a bit of a Christmas tradition. I took note of the new date and had planned to watch the special with Simone and Nadia, but then I ran an errand that evening and missed most of the special. That was it. I told Ken I wanted the DVD. I do not know if the Charlie Brown Christmas DVD is wrapped and under the tree, but I only have to wait one more day to find out.
Lou Jing‘s stint on a reality show introduced China to her talent and her life. Her mother is Chinese; her father is black. CNN reported on what what happened to the young woman who speaks and identifies herself as Chinese. The piece shows how people across the globe have yet to accept those who appear different than them. They called her names, tried to push her away. Jing, 20, kept her poise.
“I think I’m the same as all the girls here, except for my skin color,” she said, before leaving the reality show. “We share the same stage and the same dream. I’ve tried my best, so no matter what happens, I’ll hold onto my dream.”
Okay, I know I need to stop reading about The Princess and the Frog. I know there are folks who say it is a children’s movie, get over it, and stop analyzing it. Well, if you are a member of that camp, that is fine. If not, go to Love Isn’t Enough (formerly Anti-racist Parent) and check out the latest post on the movie. I clicked through and eventually landed on Jeff Yang’s column at the San Francisco Chronicle. At the bottom of the column, Yang lists his Asian Pop Gift Guide, which is worth checking out.
No, no, no, no. I want to be pretty.
Simone’s response after I removed cookie cutters she had carefully inserted into her hair.
A child’s hand print makes such beautiful ornaments and memories.
I may have to save this little shirt for years to come.
Every tree needs a star …
a snowman …
and an angel.
